Lighting the Way
by akaisherry47
Summary: It started as an elementary school teacher's simple suggestion, but the two tormented souls never thought it would blossom into a radiant light that would shine the way for them...


Disclaimer: I own none of the intellectual properties used in this story.

Author's Notes: One year after I wrote a fic for the Halloween, I wrote a fic for the _Obon_. Well, not entirely. For those who aren't familiar with the festivities, you might want to do a quick search first to better grasp the perspective this story was woven from. If it's all the same to you, then by all means. Before you move on, I want to say this: this is not an accurate depiction of the tradition of hanging lanterns during the _Obon_. I've done as much research as I could about it, but I'm sure I've missed some other details too. In my defense however, I am using characters who have lived overseas long enough to not be heavily inclined with it either. Speaking of the characters, it's been a while since I've done anything for the SherRye ship. I had to make some adjustments on how I write them in light of the official reveal, make sure it doesn't clash too much with my other on-hold projects. Several mentions of people who appeared in various episodes and movies, just for a more realistic feel.

The theme for this story came from a friend of mine who likes to push me hard. It was quite the challenge considering how vast the _Obon_ tradition actually is, but she helped me out with a lot of stuff including the points that became the foundation for this story. Was supposed to add a festival scene leading up to the _Toro Nagashi_, but I held off on the risk and decided to focus on the initial premise instead. To my friend: If you're reading this, I understand that it may have taken longer to finish than expected, but I hope I was able to pass your test. I seriously owe you for this; couldn't have written it without you. Hope to hear your critiques soon.

This is also dedicated for people who continue to grieve during All Saints' Day and similar occasions... About loved ones, events or whatnot, carrying pain they couldn't let go of so easily. Here's hoping you could find peace sometime in the future, hopefully sooner.

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><p>It was but a simple suggestion made by someone who, for all intents and purposes, was just doing her job, on account of the festival they were getting ready for. When she first heard of it, it never crossed Ai Haibara's mind that it would light the way for her and another tormented soul...<p>

One could question her tacky sense of fashion, or her being a little too flippant for her age and occupation, but if there's one indisputable thing about Sumiko Kobayashi, homeroom teacher of Teitan Elementary Class 1-B, it's her passion for children. A quality that is of paramount importance for a job as demanding as hers. She really tries to get to know each and every one of her students better, even if it becomes a bit of an annoyance to them at times; does everything in her power to make sure they're all comfortable in class and with each another while exercising proper behavior. Break them out of their cocoons, so to speak. She'll even go the extra mile and make adjustments on her lesson plan to squeeze in some fun activities she personally prepared. She has to, since the stuff she usually comes up with is so... elaborate, it takes up at least half the school day. Just ask Sakamoto-kun and Higashio-san about the mysterious 200-faced man's puzzle. They could also try asking Haibara about it, that is, if they wish to hear her grouse about how tiresome it was to guide the class all the way to the solution.

That was also the case today, their last day in school before the summer vacation. Instead of badgering them about the topics should brush up on for the next semester and summer homework, Kobayashi-sensei simply advised them to study as much as they could, and asked them prepare a simple diorama of places they get to visit during the summer, individually or as a group, before announcing that they'll be spending the day making washi decorations for the upcoming _Obon_ festival, to be celebrated for three days beginning tomorrow. It was a school-wide activity that has become a yearly tradition since Principal Uematsu took over, explained Conan Edogawa who still couldn't keep his tongue from slipping whenever he talks about Shinichi-niichan and Ran-neechan's elementary days after all this time. The announcement was well-received by the children: one, because their last activity for the semester seemed fun enough, and two, because _Obon_ is one of the biggest and most important festivals in Japan, and everyone's excited for it.

After an animated tutorial about origami stars, flowers, lanterns and streamers, the shirt-and-track pants-clad teacher divided the class into groups, appointing a leader for each and handing the selected pupils printed instructions of what she taught before welcoming everyone to an assortment of colorful paper and tools. Of course, she did not forget to remind her students to be careful with the glue and scissors. Considered to be one of the more dependable students in Class 1-B, Ai was among the lucky ones to be chosen leader, much to her chagrin. After all, the kind of life Shiho Miyano lived did not permit her to explore her artistry, let alone develop the passion and patience in putting together one with her own hands unless it had any relation to science. Being expected to excel at it by her groupmates made things more difficult than it should be for her, add to her acute displeasure of leadership roles. Unlike a lot of her classmates including Ayumi and Mitsuhiko, both assigned to another group, Ai couldn't see where the "fun" was in all the fuss. She probably would've volunteered to help sweep the campus grounds along with Genta and Conan if only the blistering summer heat didn't make her queasy under her sleeveless periwinkle chiffon blouse and white shorts. Why bother with these trinkets anyway, when they will all be burned afterwards as a rite of passing of some sort? They could always just recycle some of the _Tanabata_ decors if there's not enough for tomorrow, was her initial impression.

Noticing the fair-haired girl's desiccate gestures while roving around, as if such spectacle was a rarity in class 1-B, Kobayashi-sensei decided to join their group, taking a seat beside Ai and seizing the opportunity to finally get in touch with her... "Ai-chan," she began, hesitation apparent in her voice which is uncharacteristic for an adult talking to a child. Then again, she was talking to Ai Haibara. "Are you familiar with different _Obon_ traditions?"

Putting down the yellow paper intended to be folded into a flower in resignation, Haibara shot a dubious glance at her teacher, but decided to humor her with the truth anyway. "I've read some accounts about common _Obon_ traditions through the web, like putting up lanterns bearing family crests outside homes to guide the spirits of one's ancestors and loved ones to them, as well as floating lanterns down the river on the last day to send them off," A nod from the teacher confirmed they were on the same page. "Why do you ask, sensei?"

Kobayashi-sensei shook her head diffidently as she drew a salmon pink sheet from the packet, slowly repeating the steps to Ai and her groupmates by heart. "I'm just curious since, well, I'm sort of under the impression that some half-Japanese children aren't raised on old traditions like those anymore... U-um, you're only half-Japanese, right? If so, I hope you don't take offense on what your teacher just said."

"You don't have to apologize, sensei. I understand where you're coming from." By now, everyone in class has caught on about Ai's mixed ethnicity, as if her hair and eye color weren't a big giveaway to begin with. "But you're right. I've never experienced such customs before nor have ever believed in the existence of spirits, so I don't really understand what all this is about," Ai said almost apathetically. A good deal of it was true. _Obon_ was one of many things she missed out on in her sheltered past, learning about them only through books and clips...

A couple of years ago, after they've been relocated to Japan, Akemi wanted to take her all the way to Kyoto to see the _Gozan no Okuribi_ being lit, but she had to turn her down. She didn't want to dwell on the memory, but alas, she was powerless against her sister's serene voice. She always has been...

"Are you sure you can't come? You didn't even get a day off last month, so I think I have a good chance at pulling you out."

"...As much as I want to, things are getting pretty hectic around here as we approach a critical stage in our current experiment. Furthermore, I don't think it's smart for us to insist on petty things now, after what 'he' di-... I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. I've told you many times haven't I? I don't hate him for what happened, I never did. You shouldn't too."

"...I still don't get why you're sticking up for that good-for-nothing bastard until now."

"I know what happened... What he did still doesn't make sense to you up to now, but you'll understand one day, Shiho. I'm sure you will. And before you know it, you've already forgiven him."

"Hmph... In another life, maybe..."

"Now now, don't get all tetchy on me there. Anyway, if there's nothing I could say to change your mind about going, I'll just get you the best souvenir I can find! What do you say?"

"I'd say you should stop treating me like I'm still seven. But feel free to surprise me anyhow..."

The exchange defaced Ai with a grave look, the same look Shiho probably had after that particular call.

"I see." Kobayashi-sensei frowned, but was quick to recover her usual cheerfulness once she finished folding the origami into perfection, garnering the awe of the other kids. "Well, it really isn't about believing ghosts as much as it is remembering your loved ones who have already passed away," she said, beaming at Ai as she passes the artificial flower into her tiny palms. "I know! Why don't you try putting a lantern this year and make it your first?"

Taken aback by what the teacher just suggested as well as her enthusiasm in saying it, Ai could only manage a near-automated response, the kind anyone would accept in good faith. "...I'll have to ask the professor about it later."

Lucky for her, Kobayashi-sensei chose not to press further. Before long, the teacher's attention was pried away from her when her groupmates, seemingly reminded by the talk about traditions, began asking about the _Bon Odori_ meet that will be held at the school grounds tomorrow morning.

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><p><em>"Well, it really isn't about believing in ghosts as much as it is remembering your loved ones who have already passed away..."<em>

Ai ruminated about Kobayashi-sensei's peculiar words as she trailed after Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko en route to Beika Department Store just hours into their summer vacation, with Conan walking beside her and minding his phone. It had become second nature to her to follow the usually-merry bunch when she had no plans after school, even if she could hardly relate to what they're usually talking about or was too absorbed in her own musings to pay any heed to it. They'd take notice of her silence eventually, but at the moment they were struggling to keep pace at the mercy of the persistent heat. Ordinary children could only focus on a handful of things at once.

"I don't think I'm going to last another block," Mitsuhiko said wearily, leading the way.

"Soft-seeeerve," Genta bawled out, wobbling as if his stout frame's about to collapse over the freckled boy ahead of him any second.

"Hang in there, Genta-kun! Mitsuhiko-kun! We're almost there!" Ayumi cheered, looking pretty bushed herself but is holding up relatively well.

"See? I told you guys not to run," rebuked Conan before training his attention back to his phone, already expecting that it will fall unto deaf ears like his previous warning did. The first warning probably didn't even reach any of the kids' ears in the first place, too busy storming out of the building once Kobayashi-sensei officially dismissed the class and all. "Anyway, we probably should rest at Beika Park for a while. It'd be a pain if you two fainted on us along the way."

People were still hanging around by the time they arrived at Beika Park, but volunteer organizers have already begun sweeping the grounds and decorating the trees. Tarpaulin booths, tables and whatnot will be set up in the evening when the park becomes less crowded. Conveniently, the soft cream truck's still operating and Genta was able to satisfy his craving thrice over, varied flavors and all. Once recuperated enough, the little group continued their feeble march across the urban desert of Beika. From here on, they only needed to trace the rest of the block, cross the street to Beika General Hospital, circle the building and finally, get across to their destination, or to put it bluntly, the children's destination. If asked, Ai would rather just go home and stay there for three days, having a natural aversion to the intense, deteriorating weather, dense festival crowds and a lot of other things the summer stood for.

She didn't lie to Kobayashi-sensei when she said she didn't understand all these _Obon_ traditions and that she had never observed any one of those ever, not in July nor in August. The better part of her life she spent overseas, where such traditions and festivals are exclusive to select communities, and sheltered for almost its entirety so it was impossible for her to attend any of those mock festivals even if she was interested in them, and she wasn't. She knew everything there was about _Obon_, make no mistake: that _Obon_ was supposed to be a tradition commemorating the dead, why the Kanto region celebrates it a month ahead of other regions, various customs observed during these three days apart from the ones she recited before her teacher and also its Buddhist origins. Back then, she had deemed it as one of those myths people tend to believe and practice just for fun, like so many Japanese tales about spirits. There's nothing wrong about trying it out now, she fathomed, having experienced so many new things as Ai Haibara that she never even considered before, a good deal of them for the same lighthearted reason. But this wasn't like a hiking trip or wearing cute clothes and make-up. This was about celebrating dead loved ones, something that has already become a regular thing for her...

After all, Shiho Miyano could never forget about her deceased family. She probably remembers them way too often that its become more of a chronic condition to her than a bad habit. Taking into account her circumstances, can anyone blame her? Mostly it's her sister Akemi, since she only knew their mother through a batch of tape and their father, through his life's work. To her, their parents will always be mental images she herself fabricated in the absence of actual memories to remember them by. Substitutes that will never come close to filling a huge void in her life, though it might as well be a blessing in disguise for her, since not knowing them as much as her sister did spared her of more grief and sorrow. Akemi's death alone drove her to suicide more than once...

….But again, could anyone blame her for feeling so despaired over it? For the longest time, Akemi was her only family and friend. When her former classmates pushed her away like a leper, Akemi will assure her that those ignorant people are missing out on a treasure of a friend in her. When her experiments didn't come along as theorized and their "benefactors" gave her a difficult time about it, Akemi would lend her ears all day long, and then respond with the nicest things to boost her morale back to shape. When she's too burned out from the same experiments, Akemi would drag her from the depths of her laboratory and into the delusive world outside and make her believe, even in fleeting moments, that they could one day be part of it. Akemi was always there when Shiho needed her, ready to hold her in so warm an embrace when they're together, or call back as soon as she can when they're not. That is, until she no longer could.

If only spirits actually return during Obon to be with their descendants and loved ones, then Ai wouldn't pass up the chance to be with her sister again, and to finally say hello to her parents. Having to let go of them after three days though... She probably wouldn't be able to handle it. Three days isn't even enough for her to ask all the questions she wants to ask them, or tell them how much she yearns for their presence... And the worst part is, she has to be excited about it for appearance's sake.

"Oi. Is something bugging you?"

Right. It's usually good old Kudou-kun who would notice her indifference first, and he'd always nag her about it as some sort of payback for her alleged bullying.

"Well, you usually don't keep your two cents about how hot it is and how people should be more conscious of the environment," Conan pointed out. Ai raised a brow at him in annoyance, but he carried on with his observation anyway. "Moreover, you haven't said a word since we left the campus."

"Awww... So you actually miss hearing me complain, eh... Should I be flattered? I think not," she mocked.

"Honestly, if only I didn't owe you for those favors and antidotes...," he snorted. "So, are you gonna tell me or what?"

"Do I have to?"

"No, but-"

"More importantly, who's the 'lucky' person receiving your messages at the moment? I doubt it's Ran-san since she's still in the midst of wrapping up the rest of her semester at this hour. Or could it be that you're trying to get her phone confiscated so you could show off by sending her a new smartphone?"

From Ai's responses and eventual changing of topic, Conan gathered that whatever it was that was bothering her, it's not something she was willing to talk about. He decided to let her be, like he actually had a choice upon the matter. "Even if I actually tried something like that, she'd just send it back to me saying it's far too expensive and that her phone's still good. Anyway, it's actually Hattori who I'm texting. He said they arrived at the agency just now."

"I take it Hattori-kun and Toyama-san are in town for the _Obon_?"

"Yeah. Apparently, it's going to be their first time checking out the festival here in the Kanto area since they didn't know anybody around here until now."

"What? Heiji-niichan and Kazuha-neechan are here?!" Ayumi chimed in. It was about time the rest of the Tantei-dan caught on.

"Then let's go see them instead!" Mitsuhiko suggested.

"Huh? But I thought we're getting some soft-serve?" Genta said, scratching his plump cheek.

"Didn't you just eat three cones minutes ago?" reminded the freckled boy with some annoyance.

The Tantei-dan trio huddled excitedly in front of Conan to hear more about his visitors from Osaka. Only then were they reminded of the _Obon_, particularly about their relatives who are visiting and the ancestral graves they're going to visit over the next three days. Ai, on the other hand, took to the sidelights like she usually does when she has very little to contribute to the topic. Unlike the events of the latest Kamen Yaiba episode or some sought-after dark matter karma axe in the latest RPG fad though, she wasn't about to get off the hook so easily on this one.

"How about you, Ai-chan? What are your plans for the festival? Are your parents or relatives coming over too?" Ayumi asked, turning the group's attention towards her.

"Eh? Well..." The fair-haired girl wasn't sure how to address the question, especially after seeing the children's glimmering faces as they await her optimistic response. Too often had she spoiled their jovial moods that she felt obliged to spare them of her recurrent anguish. She owed them that much for their kindness and their friendship. "I don't think anyone would come visit this year, living or dead...," Quickly catching sight of the disappointment she had anticipated, Ai adds, "but I'll probably pin up a lantern on Professor Agasa's behalf since he's too busy with the festival."

Haibara's gambit seems to have drawn the conversation away from her troubles and into Ayumi, who was worried that she might not have the perfect place to dangle the proverbial spirit beacon, living in a high-rise apartment and all. But now she has to make sure there's a lantern outside the professor's house as early as tomorrow, lest she will be held liable for fibbing and keeping things from her friends again. Letting them down was the last thing she wanted to do, even if the specified activity is against her better judgment. "This is why I hate the summer just as much as it hates me...," she mused, sighing. But at least she now has something to tell Kobayashi-sensei when she asks her next time.

While the others pooled together to try to solve Ayumi's little predicament, Ai took a gander around the vicinity, already abuzz with proprietors bustling to decorate their restaurants and shops with all sorts of streamers and light fixtures, as if competing to see who's the giddiest. There were others who didn't take their _Tanabata_ decorations down, but are still making adjustments and additions to suit the more family-oriented celebration. Two junior high girls passed by her, making a fuss about the necessity of having different _yukatas_ for _Obon_ and _Tanabata_, followed shortly by a group of third graders, their discussion stirred by a boy who bragged about how his ancestor served under the Eastern Army during the Battle of Sekigahara and how he's going to learn his techniques in three days' time. Surrounded by all these people looking forward to the festival, Ai felt quite out-of-place, like she was the only one around who's going to be grieving during this festival of the dead. She knows she technically won't be alone of course; it just seemed so wrong to take morbid comfort in the fact that other people are also being haunted by tragedies and deaths. There are the relatives of those who died recently of disease or accidents, and those who have fallen victim to someone else's greed or misguided passion, most especially ones who didn't deserve a fate so cruel. There are also officers from Division 1 who, regardless of whether they've experienced personal tragedy or not, have seen one too many dead bodies in their lifetime that the atrocity just lingers within them; and detectives in charge of cases whose files remain frozen in the evidence locker to this day, some yearning to be ruffled through again while there's still time, others with their stature already expired, leaving only the scars of failure and regret. She really didn't have to go further to name one person in particular who might be able relate to what she's going through. Just next door to her, there's...

"Wait... Are you still grieving up to now, just like I am? ….Did you ever grieve for her...? Or are we really just tools you used to get into the organization...?" These questions occurred to her yet again. A couple of things she had meant to ask "that man" for a long time now, but couldn't find the opportunity.

It struck her as odd though, that the moment she started thinking of him, he would all of a sudden materialize in front of her and enter the nearby bookstore. It wasn't likely that he was following her this time round since he emerged from the opposite direction, but she found it agitating just the same.

If only he appeared as timely as this before...

Then again, she wondered if this perhaps is the distraction she needed, the opportunity she had been waiting for to finally ask him those questions, or at least try... He's been like this for a while now, always coming to her rescue whenever she finds herself in trouble regardless of its nature.

Funny, how she could think of him as the most annoying stalker one second, and a godsend the next.

"...That reminds me. I still need to check some things out before it gets dark, so... Later, guys," Ai excuses herself, hastily creating some separation to prevent her friends from asking questions or offering unnecessary company.

It didn't stop Mitsuhiko for trying though. "H-Haibara-san! W-we cou-"

But Conan cuts him halfway. "Anyway, Heiji-niichan said he's already in our place now! I bet he's got some new exciting stories to tell us!" he beamed, more ecstatically than usual, forcing the children to make up their minds fast by turning a corner, onwards to Mouri Detective Agency. Ayumi and Genta were swayed in a heartbeat, the prospect of hearing mystery stories appealing to them more than arcade consoles. Mitsuhiko was reluctant to part ways with their half-blooded friend though, but eventually conceded to the much larger Genta's strength when he hauled him along, thus officially scrapping the trip to the department store.

Ai made no effort to look over her shoulder as the distance between her and her friends grew with every step until they had vanished from her sights, but she figured that Conan caught him too and was obviously creating an opportunity for her to move without the kids holding her back. This was no favor though, so she did not feel compelled to return it, much less thank him. After all, it was Kudou-kun who arranged for "him" to stay in his house, forcing open a way for "him" to come back to her life without her consent, and they still owe her a thorough explanation as to how this unholy alliance came to be. Not that she had no theories of her ow...

In the meantime, she has one Subaru Okiya to worry about. _"I'm still not sure if I'm really going to abide by this tradition thing, even if I said I would... But I wonder... How are you going to respond to the question Kobayashi-sensei threw at me?"_

Stepping within the cooled confines of the bookstore, Ai felt as refreshed as a goldfish that rediscovered water after being out of it for seconds. Customers were few and far in between at this time of the day. Craning around, she quickly spotted Subaru's tall frame glancing over a Kaori Shinmei title over at a specifically-marked table in the middle of the store, possibly a fresh-off-the-press piece, flanked on either side by customers who were doing the same. It didn't surprise her at all to see him still moving heaven and earth just to cover up his neck, wearing a black dress shirt, buttoned from the collar down and with each sleeve rolled up to his elbows, beige trousers and brown leather shoes. Perhaps she was right about him having some resistance to heat; not once did she ever see Dai Moroboshi without a leather jacket or a coat hanging over his broad shoulders. Subaru's back faced the entrance when she entered so it's likely that he didn't see her, but she hid behind the nearest shelf anyway.

The young chemist hadn't been observing for long when her quarry decided on a title and sidestepped over to the aisles, and pretty soon she was left on the fence on whether to chase after him or just go home and wait until he comes over for dinner. The professor had already given her the heads up about running late due to festival preparations, and on such instances, it has become customary for Subaru to come over and "babysit", just like old times with Dai though he never really cooked for her until now. She had gotten used to having him around as well, or perhaps begun rediscovering the rapport she used to share with him. Rapport that convinced her that he was indeed the man she once knew in spite of the pressure he inspired her with to keep her away.

Sometimes though, she couldn't help but wonder if Dai's ever going to come clean while he's around. He always preferred keeping his collection of bones inside his closet to gather dust, but why put up with the lie up to now? After what happened inside his 360, it seemed impossible for him not to be aware that the cat's already out. He of all people would know that she'd never dare get so close to a stranger the way she did with him unless she was a hundred-percent confident that she wasn't putting herself at risk.

But again, why not tell her now? To protect her? That can't be the case, now can it? Their case was nothing like Kudou-kun and Ran-san's where one has to lie to keep someone from getting involved and as far away from peril as possible. In their case, she's already involved, long before they even met. Tragedy has already befallen her, and there were times when she couldn't even find the strength to set foot outside in fear that an agent of the organization might be closing in on her. The same organization that's after his life as well, after the betrayal that toppled over the dominoes for her and Akemi.

That's right. If not for him, her sister wouldn't have thought of leaving. They wouldn't think of getting rid of their top scientist in fear that he had already influenced her too. She was aware of these, and yet she denied it like she denied that he was ever part of her life until the day he came back, further proof of how he caused all her suffering in tow. In more ways than one, it was Dai's fault she'll be spending Obon year after year making a fool out of herself wishing that spirits do come back. She promised she would never allow him even a millimeter closer to forgiveness...

….And yet she ended up being the one to trespass over to his territory that fateful night. And now she's repeating that mistake.

_"How silly of me, going through all this for something so trivial...,"_ Ai lamented, examining a rack opposite the shelf she eased up on for the latest prints. An unsealed recipe booklet claimed her interest, having seen and appalled by this year's summer trends already that she didn't feel like going for another depressing once-over. If he's indeed aware of her being inside the store, surely he'd take the hint and come over to talk. If not, then it will have to wait later. It wasn't something that demanded an immediate answer anyway.

She didn't have to wait any longer than two minutes for things to play out the way she imagined.

"My, it seems a sassy stalker has been following me all this time," his nearly-natural voice greeted just inches beside her. If only it wasn't such a big risk to both her secret (and maybe this man's as well) and several industries, she'd definitely apprise the professor to invest more time and resources on speech-altering patents instead of dawdling away on faulty cooking equipment only non-cooks would bite.

"Don't flatter yourself by assuming I'm returning the favor for the times you've followed me around," Ai replied apathetically while skimming the meatball recipe she had incidentally flipped into, possibly for future reference for all its worth.

"Ho... Then did you come here to inquire about dinner?" Subaru pandered to her anyway, though from his tone, Ai could tell he wasn't convinced at all.

"Actually, yes. I'm starting to grow tired of your curry, that's why I'm looking for recipes you could try out for a change."

"Is that so? Perhaps you got a little too sated with that second helping you had the other day."

"I already told you why, didn't I? I missed out on breakfast because I was running late, and my lunch was knocked over Kojima-kun and our classmate Sakamoto-kun during their impromptu wrestling match. It's not like I wanted to eat more of your cooking because it's good."

"Ah yes, I remember it well. Anyway, do forgive the lack of variety in my dishes. I've been quite engrossed with Kudou-sensei's vast collection of classics lately that I've neglected broadening my culinary expertise."

"Oh really, now... Well, you must be a fast reader then, seeing that you're about to buy a new book already," she retorted, stealing a glance at the novel he's about to buy.

"After the last novel I've read, I suddenly felt in the mood for something more... Current, is all," he explained. Cupping his chin for a second, his face suddenly lightens up even brighter, an idea striking him. "Now that you've said it though, perhaps I should add another to make this trip more worthwhile." In one fluid and decisive motion, he swiped the pamphlet off Ai's tiny hands, pulling it up to perspective as he strode for the checkout.

"Hey! I'm not finished with it yet!" she protested, trailing after him.

"But wouldn't it be better if I looked into this myself?" he argued back, innocuous expression and all. "It will definitely come in handy since I'm about to go to the marketplace after this."

The chemist grunted, stopping and throwing her hands in the air. "Go ahead, knock yourself out. It works to my own benefit anyway since I no longer have to pay for it, let alone think of how to pass it to you."

Averting her eyes as Subaru nodded to her in parting, a voice rang inside her head, bedeviling her with truths like a confidant whom one could trust to say the worst things because she couldn't bring herself to admit it on her own. _"Who do you think you're kidding? Didn't you come here because you want to ask him if he's going to honor Nee-san's memory as well and see if she really meant anything to him? Didn't you want to speak to him because you're worried about having to play tug-of-war with him again? Isn't it because you never really hated him, that's why you're able to accept him back into your life in spite of everything that's happened?_

_"Hmph... No wonder he always lies to you... You're not being very honest with him either..."_

...Her inner voice had a point. All along, she had known why she couldn't hate Dai for what happened to Akemi. In a way, Shiho herself had as much of a hand in it as he did. She too had sought freedom, and yet she didn't fight hard enough for it like her sister did. The three of them could've fled together, but she allowed odium and fear and uncertainty to prevail over her. Instead of letting herself get drawn along with the rest of it, she held the other end of the rope and pulled on it for dear life. Then, there's Akemi who refused to choose between staying with her or eloping with him and eventually accepted the billion-dollar bargain laid on the table even if she knew she was going to get sharped out of it. No, she had refused to answer the organization's beck and call from the start, but instead of adapting to it she faced the consequences of her conviction head on. And finally, Gin who made the killing shot, culminating in the climax of this classic Greek tragedy of a life they live in as members of a group that should never have existed even beneath the shadows they lurk in.

Akemi's death was a result of their collective decisions and indecisions, their actions and inactions. Shiho really didn't need to witness or learn about a dozen or so incidents that played out in a similar fashion to realize that. Only that it had been so easy to put the rest of the blame on Dai than acknowledge the fact that both she and her sister abetted on it in their own respective ways. So easy to shut out her fond memories of him like they never existed. So easy to ignore the possibility that Dai must've been hurt losing his love as bad as she was in losing her family. So easy not to believe that he returned to make up for lost time and trust...

"Hey... Subaru-san...?" Ai finally called out.

Her voice was weak, still hesitant, but not weak enough for Subaru to miss. "Yes?"

"...About the festival tomorrow," she began, grasping for words like a blind person stranded in the woods. "...Do you... Do you have any plans?" She took a ponderous sigh once the question was finally out of her lips and the back of her head altogether. "...Other than pestering me, of course..."

"The _Obon_, you mean?" Subaru tilted his head in thought. "Nothing in particular, to be frank. Unless the professor asks for a hand with the festival preparations, I'll probably just stay indoors and knuckle down on these," he lifts both books up for emphasis. "But I might go out on the third day to see the floating of lanterns and the fireworks."

"You don't have any relatives coming over?"

"That... I'm not so sure."

"How about customs?" she asked further, eager to get to what she came to see him for. Getting side-tracked isn't an option when you're trying to capitalize on what little momentum you have. "Are you going to put up a lantern outside tonight? I don't think the Kudous would mind something like that."

"Well, I'm not really keen on bothering my ancestors' and relatives' peace, and I've never been much for tradition nor supernatural entities, so... Probably not."

"Are you sure...? There's nobody you'd like to see again?" Ai became more dissatisfied and irritated than perplexed as she stared up at his covert eyes with blistering resolution, desiring an answer not from Subaru Okiya, but the man who she believed was behind the silicone and the voice changer.

The bespectacled grad student hushed up. Gauging the look on his face, the former chemist could sense reticence, a sign that he now understands just what she's getting at. She didn't want to get her hopes in hearing a sincere response up too high though. Last time she ever put so much faith in him, circumstances went so awry they ended up exactly where they are now, running this gauntlet of falsehood against each other with no end in sight. She's not asking for the whole account, at least not right now. Just a phrase or two that would prove Dai Moroboshi actually cared about her sister, if not both the Miyano sisters, and didn't just use their feelings and their trust to his advantage...

But if there's one thing she admires, and finds pitiful at the same time, about Akemi and even Ran Mouri, it's their ability to stay still and suck up all the lines they're being fed to the point of utter credulity. She couldn't do it to save her life, that's why she left the organization soon after her sister's death... Why she kept coming along whenever an encounter with the organization is imminent, in spite of the risks involved... Why she kept hating Dai for betraying them, even as her sister assured her that it wasn't the case at all... Why she wanted to confront him now that she's bound to be alone for a prolonged period, instead of waiting for him to come in his own time like she had previously decided.

"...Forget it. It was a dumb question anyway. Whoever thinks that spirits actually return just because some lantern summoned them must be wrong in the head," Ai waved off, shuffling her feet straight for the exist. She's had enough of his indifference, of staying inside a store without the intention of buying anything, of the busybodies who have caught a whiff of the awkwardness brewing between them and were beginning to give them odd looks, and most of all, of being silly. "Maybe I'm the one who's wrong in the head... Hoping for things to turn out differently this time around, when you're still the same duplicitous man I met years ago..."

But just as she was about to push past Subaru...

"...Actually, there is someone... I'm not related to her by blood though... Just someone who used to cheer me up a lot."

Ai wheeled around, surprised not just at what he said, but the way he said it as well. It was the first time she heard his voice, fake or not, quaver. It wasn't as drastic as a sob or anything, just a subtle hint of weakness she never thought existed in a person she had once looked up to for being so impregnable and so incisive. When she looked up to him she saw further confirmation in the distant face he was making, staring off to a place others could hardly begin to perceive as though in search of something abstract. "...Then why don't you want her spirit to visit you?" she found her will to speak at last.

If that wasn't enough of a shock just now, he looked straight at her and smirked wryly, as though asked a rhetorical question. "That would be very selfish of me now, wouldn't it? _Obon_ is, when it comes right down to it, a family reunion. Surely she has one who yearns for her far more than I'll ever do... Especially since I've taken enough of her remaining time on this soil..."

A poignant pause came afterwards, but when he finally regained his voice, he regained his usual manner as Subaru as well, the implication that Dai's interlude is over. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must pay for these. Do head home as soon as you're finished with your business..." He took a bow and turned towards the opposite direction Ai was initially headed.

And just like that, she finally got that honest answer she had aimed to wrest from him. At least, that's what she felt from his words, similar to the instances that gave rise to her idea that Subaru was indeed someone she used to have a lot of faith in. The scrutinizing part of her still bore a shred of doubt, but for now, for her sister's spirit's sake and maybe for her own as well, she wanted to believe him without question once again. Insistently pushing someone away, moreover refusing someone you don't truly hate was an unwieldy burden, and she needed a break from lugging it around everywhere as much as anybody else does. For how long it will last, or if it will... It wasn't worth pondering about.

When she was finally ready to say something about it however, he was already gone, and this time she was unable to catch sight of which direction he headed...

_"So much for chances you regret not taking when it was smiling in your face...," _Haibara thought, sighing before decamping from the store like she had originally intended to.

* * *

><p>Subaru took a deep breath as he got out of the store, immediately feeling the upshot of instantaneous change in temperature. He wouldn't have gone out of the estate today had it not been for a favor Conan Edogawa asked of him in the morning, securing a copy of Kaori Shinmei's latest work in his behalf. Apparently, the boy has friends from out-of-town coming over for the festival, and he has to tend to them for the next three days, leaving him with so little chance to get a first edition print on his own. He also ended up with an unprecedented purchase for himself, something that might be of use in the immediate future.<p>

The sweltering heat hardly did a number on him Subaru even under the extra layers he's wearing, with years of self-conditioning far behind him. He had also taken care of the flaws that might appear on his "face" before exposing himself to severe weather just like the madame taught him. What he wasn't prepared for was a confrontation with the young woman he had futilely hoped never to see again, as well as the questions she flung his way. He had intended to circumvent her as usual, in spite of the notion that she has already figured out who he really is... But then he caught a glimpse of the uncompromising conviction in her eyes, a bedazzling sight he had not seen in a while, and realized she wasn't going to accept anything that wasn't from the man she met years ago...

He suddenly felt parched, craving for some caffeine to bedew his throat. He presumed he had spoken more than what he was accustomed to today and once more reminded himself to get used to it. Then he wondered if it was speaking as himself longer than he was intending to which had drained him. It couldn't be helped. He saw no recourse upon the matter other than to let himself slip for a moment. That was the least he could reward her for resolving to confront him like that. Not that he wanted her to believe what he said or anything, even if it was truest thing he could ever say. Even now he misses that person who once made him look forward to waking up every single day of his turbulent life, but his longing and grieving will forever pale in comparison to that of the younger sister that woman had left behind. A bereavement that should not have to happen if he hadn't failed in so many things...

Subaru fished for the change he had gotten back just now as he searched for the nearest convenience store or vending machine. Spotting a machine across the street two shops to the right, he was about to pull the coins out when he sensed something flying towards him. Without flinching an inch, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and caught it instead.

It was a can of black coffee, he realized half a second later.

"I couldn't see the codes on the upper shelves so don't even think about complaining," slackly said the young woman who owned half his thoughts at the moment as she walked up to him. She held a similar beverage in her hand, one she was presently consuming.

"I have no intention of complaining whatsoever. A more appropriate response would be to censure you for throwing things carelessly, or to express my gratitude." Subaru smiled. "Hmm... I like the sound of the latter better."

Of course, he wasn't averse of the underlying reason behind her buying black coffee out of a dozen other beverages being vended and within a seven year-old's reach.

"Just shut up and drink," Ai griped before taking a sip. "Ughh... I still don't understand why this became such a fad in this country. This pales horribly in comparison to a fresh brew."

"It's an acquired taste," he justified, chuckling. "Anyways, I was expecting you'd be on your way home by now."

The perm-haired girl grunted. "Guess you can't read all my moves after all."

"Guess so." The agent-in-disguise smirked wryly. "Now is there something else you need from me?"

"...If I say yes, are you going to consider it?"

"Depends on what it is and if you're going to go forward with it."

"...Fine then... But for the record, this doesn't mean anything more than what it is." Drawing in some air, and some confidence along with it, she looked up to him as he pulled the tab off his can and began. "I'm just thinking that since you're not going to bother with a lantern anyway, maybe you could lend me a hand with mine instead. Art isn't one of my stronger suits, and as you can see, it's impossible for me to hang it on my own even if I somehow complete it. I'll spare you of having to come up with something new for tonight's dinner in exchange."

It took over a quarter of a minute, until after he had finished his first guzzle, before Subaru could respond. He did not see this offer coming either. "A fair-enough trade, but... Won't a pre-made one suffice?"

"It would, if I want to be insipid like a lot of people who do it just for fun, in which case I don't. Besides, it doesn't solve the height issue. Unless of course I use a step ladder, risk myself for a fall and if I'm lucky," the scientist shrugs casually, "break a couple of bones or fracture my skull..."

"Isn't that a bit too... extreme for something so 'dumb'?"

"...Goes to show how far I'm willing to go just to be with this particular spirit, hm..."

"But in doing so, you fail to consider what this spirit might feel if something were to happen to you while you make the summons," Subaru admonished, well aware that this young woman wouldn't demur from putting those words to motion. "It easily defeats the entire purpose of the Obon, don't you think?"

Haibara curls up her lips slyly. "That's why I'm asking you in the first place."

Quick to realize that he had just been checkmated, the Sherlockian couldn't resist an outburst. "My, you really are quite a handful aren't you, young lady..." he said almost breathlessly, trying to suppress his laughter, or muffling it in the least. Just how long has it been since he last laughed over something this silly that he had come to believe that it was something he could no longer do?

"You're the one who chose to play Daddy Long Legs on me, so deal with it," Ai remarked, quite pleased with her small victory.

But again, this wasn't an argument where one wins and the other loses. Who has the right to judge whose pain was greater anyway? Pain is pain, just as sickness is sickness, and affection is affection. Gravity doesn't matter. So long as it exists, it will be there to afflict one's being. She realizes that now, even better than before if it had occurred to her at a forgotten instance, which is why she thought of this trade-off in the first place. One where they both emerge as winners. "This way, neither a rope war or a catch ball will be necessary...," she thought.

"Now then, I suppose we should gather some materials for our project," Subaru declares once he finally got hold of himself. "Do you have a certain style of lantern in mind?"

"Hmmm... A pendant light would be nice, and I'm sure the professor has some parts for it stocked somewhere. For the shade," Ai tilts her head skeptically. "You think you could make something that can be taken down and floated with a tea light on the third day? It'd save us the trouble of making another one or buying at the festival ground."

"A box will suit that purpose, I imagine," suggested he before another sip.

"I guess it will," she seconded, visualizing a model lantern and liking it. "Only thing we have to worry about now is making sure it will catch Nee-san's attention."

"...Nee-san?" Subaru asked, in keeping with his role as an engineering student who moved in next door to her not too long ago, thus unaware of his neighbor's past.

"...The lantern's for my sister, who passed away several months ago," said Ai weakly, understanding his reason for such pleasantry. Both of them shrunk into silence immediately afterward as memories of the person they both cherished surged back into their hearts and minds. "I thought about asking this man she used to date instead of you," she continued a sigh later. "But the scoundrel went on the lam and I'm not sure where he is now... And besides, I think you look a bit more dependable than he ever did. Just a little bit." She gazed up amicably and pulled her fingers up to stress her point

"I'm honored that you think of me so highly," candidly responded Subaru. "Though I'm certain that this man's grieving in his own way right about now... He must be, if he dated a woman so wonderful, her little sister would go as far as risking her well-being just to suspend a lantern for her for the Obon."

Ai uttered a nettled groan. "I wouldn't bet on it unless he says something of the sort personally. In the meantime," her expression became earnest, mustering every ounce of will to say what she's about to say to this man before her. Words she never thought she'd consider telling him again after all this time. "I'll be counting on you for this, Subaru-san... So don't let me down." She exhaled in relief once it was out of her system, finally dropping off an excruciating bundle Shiho Miyano should've been rid of earlier if he didn't brush her off so soon.

The timing barely mattered though, for it touched Shuuichi Akai's disconsolate being as profoundly as it would've had she regained her voice then. "...I'll do my best to gratify your faith. I promise."

There was this thrum inside of her that tried to persuade her to showing gratitude in some form, but she still wasn't quite ready to bear her soul just yet, so she cooled it down by swigging down the coffee. It literally wasn't her cup of coffee, so by the time she was done, she was back in her usual mood. "Are we going to just stand here all day and be mushy? Or are we gonna go shopping now?"

"Yes. There should be a crafts store a couple of blocks from here," he recommended. "And I suggest you stick to lattes next time. You should be able to reach it if you could get the button for the black ones."

The locale had become even more vibrant in the few minutes they spent inside the bookstore. The celebratory air quickly spread out like the most welcome outbreak that existed in the history of man, instigated further by the rumbling sound of taiko being fired up and enka music blasting out of massive speakers, each of them being tested out to see (or hear) if they're going to produce a quality of sound fit for the festivities. The bland walls that fringe the road were now preened with even more colors and intricacies, and some stores have already set up tables for their promotional gimmicks. The crafts store they were supposed to check out has already distinguished itself even from a couple of blocks away, presently thronged by children with their parents going through the selection of lanterns they displayed outside, looking for the one they believe would get their ancestors' and loved ones' attention the most.

With all the crimes that had plagued this city as of late, an atmosphere so serene couldn't have been more refreshing, and yet Ai couldn't resist mocking it, still somewhat perplexed with the irony. "...How could people be so happy when they're supposed to be remembering about dead people anyway? Isn't it a form of desecration?"

Subaru looked ahead in thought, examining what could've possibly roused the criticism. "I wouldn't refute the idea that there are people who celebrate it only for the sake of amusement, but for the ones whose smiles and gaiety belie their sorrow, I believe I've come across a passage that says it best... 'Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have a duty not to despair'..."

"A quote by Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel, said in the year he won the award if my memory serves me right," she recognized after a few seconds' rummaging.

"So I've since found out." Earning a silent response that alluded to ears propped up in anticipation, he continued. "Nothing's wrong with grieving over something, be it one's own misery or someone else's. However, doing so makes us susceptible to even worse things, and the people around us anxious regardless of whether they're still alive or have passed on. Most especially if its them you're grieving about.

"We could always smile in front of those who are still living or speak the sweetest of sugarcoats to put them at ease... But for the dead, having a blast during the _Obon_ is a good way to let them know we're going to be alright despite their absence, so they could go back to the netherworld without worries. Its also a good time to make up for past regrets..."

"...To say the things you want to say but couldn't find the courage to do so in time... To try to fulfill their last wishes...," she added soberly.

"Which is why we can't let these distractions get the best of us this time. Otherwise, we're going to have to wait another year."

"...In essence, it's like smiling in the face of adversity or death, hm..."

"...On a less severe context."

Neither of them said another word as they traced the rest of the sidewalk. It wasn't until they reached the crossing that one of them decided to get the ball rolling again. This time, it was Subaru's turn to point out his observation. "I reckon you already had your answer to this question a long time ago."

Ai shrugged. "Maybe so... But think of it as a test from me." "A test you passed in flying colors... As expected..." "However, I'm under the notion you don't really believe the things you said just now. Or at least, you didn't before."

"...Seems you have as good a read of me as I have of you," he remarked. "But let's just say I've become more open minded about certain matters over time..."

"An old dog trying to learn new tricks, I see...," she kidded.

"More like an old dog reminded of tricks it already learned but forgot," he corrected, grinning slightly as he aligned his glasses.

* * *

><p>When they finally arrived at the craft store, they needed not a lengthy discourse to agree upon buying materials for a simple, white box lantern with hand-painted details and crest: timelessly elegant without the unnecessary extravagance. The color, Ai thought it suited her sister the best. She may have committed crimes punishable by decades in prison during her time, but Akemi was still the purest among them. The fabled white crow who insistently refused to let the darkness consume her like it did the others even as she drew her last breath. Subaru didn't say much when he agreed, just a nod and a remark about how easy it is to paint on white before moving on, but from the scintilla of grimace in his face as she explained her choice, Ai confirmed that he saw her sister under the same soothing light. He always loved hiding his emotions under his scowl, and now he does it under his smile, but somehow she's still able to tell if he's unconsciously issuing it, just as she was able to tell that it is him even with a new face.<p>

The rest of the shopping went smoothly after that, picking up supplies not just for the lantern, but the diorama as well even if there are no set plans for it yet, and later, groceries at the shopping district. They got back to their neighborhood just before five and immediately went to work, one taking over the kitchen while the other, setting up shop in the living. Neither of them have progressed far when the sun ditched them, and Subaru had to get the lights.

"Are you sure you don't want me to look up a tutorial online?" Ai yelled at Subaru from across the counter while mixing a variety of finely-chopped ingredients into a bowl – she ended up cooking the same recipe she had flipped into a while ago at the bookstore.

"That won't be necessary," the bespectacled man politely refused, returning to his station to resume his chore of wrapping the white paper around a polystyrene foam mold. He marked the subsequent folds with a pencil. "What should I paint on this shade later?"

"Why don't you just go with what you can draw best?... Wait... Don't tell me you can't draw either?"

"I did take up some watercoloring lessons way back and have done my share of simple landscapes, but I'm miles away from being this generation's answer to Hosui Kisaragi."

"Hmm... Then maybe you should just go with an island beach or hydrangeas or anything else that fits the summer... Oh, and I suggest you take comfort in that disparity, because Kisaragi-san's own deluded obsession eventually drove him to murder."

"So I've heard. Quite a shame really... His Mount Fuji pieces were some of the most enthralling pieces I've had the chance to see up close."

"I suppose I can give the madman that... Anyway, I take it you've heard the story behind that from the professor or Edogawa-kun?"

"Ah."

"...All of it, including the 'little stuff'...?"

"Pretty much..." Subaru stopped, his face turning purposefully grim all of a sudden. "But I'm not in the position to judge you for the things you've done in your sadness."

"...No, you're not. So stop weeping over there and carry on. I need your full attention on that lantern because if it comes out ugly, I'm never going to let you into this household ever again." Ai ripped out before setting her sights on the other food items needed to be prepared. Inwardly though, her lips curled up wryly, recalling the words he said on their way to the crafts store.

If she had delayed her aversion by a second, she probably would've caught Subaru's doing exactly the same thing. "As you say, young madame."

At around six-thirty, Professor Agasa called to reiterate what he had already said in the morning, but with a more definite reason why he'll be late: the custom light equipment he had bragged about for days failed him "all of a sudden", and he has to stick around until it's completely fixed. The way the inventor described it, the damage sounded worse than a minor explosion or two. Subaru even offered to drive over and help out as soon as he's finished with the project, but a glare from Ai that suggested she'll the next half-dedicated artist she sees and an eventual refusal from the professor kept him at bay.

Ai finally got dinner ready some fifteen minutes later – pan-grilled chicken meatballs and potato salad over rice – but before they could dig in, Conan decided it was just the right time to pester her about a couple of things he wanted to know online. Apparently a body dropped dead at a Moroccan restaurant in Haido where Detective Mouri decided to take the gang for dinner. A normal occurrence whenever the crime magnets from the East and the West meet. She told Kudou-kun to look it up himself and scram, but he explained that the reception was unstable, and she had no choice but to get the laptop and be bothered. Whoever the victim was, he or she must've been quite the smart aleck to have ended up dead while eating and being so vulnerable, but there must be at least one or two people who blindly cared about a blameworthy person like that, a parent or a spouse perhaps, and Ai figured she'd do them a small favor, and maybe do her sister proud too. Akemi would've done the same thing given the circumstance, more willingly even.

"Is that all you need?" she grumbled, the call having extended longer than her patience and appetite could afford.

"Yeah, but we probably have to go over everything a couple more times 'cause there are still a bunch of stuff that don't fit," Conan answered, ignoring the usual attitude that comes along with Haibara's assistance as a bonus.

"You seriously need to learn how to make use of an internet cafe next time so you don't bother people so impeccably."

"Geez... I knew I should've asked someone else instead."

"I'm sure you know Professor Agasa's too busy to put up with your incompetence at the moment. And if you're thinking about asking 'that man' instead, I believe he's..."

Subaru chimes in before she could finish, letting his presence known. "If there's nothing else you wish to add, I'll start painting now."

"A-alright," acknowledged Ai. Clearing her throat of any sign of weakness, she returns to Conan. "...As I was saying, I believe he's also occupied with something else at the moment." But alas, it was already too late, and she could've sworn she heard a mocking giggle. "What? Stop wasting time and go back to the case already... Or do you wish to speak to Subaru-san anyway?"

"Not particularly but sure, put me on loud-speaker for a bit," requested the detective, suppressing his laughter before it costs him an extra antidote. Narrowing her eyes at the phone, and then at Subaru, the ex-chemist complies. "Hey, Subaru-san. I just wanna ask... Did you manage to get the book already?" Conan spoke in his pretentiously childish tone.

"'Out of the Woodwork', by Kaori Shinmei... Yes, I was able to acquire a copy for you this afternoon. You can pick it up as early as tomorrow morning," said Subaru, raising his voice a little as he drew some guidelines on the shade with a pencil.

"Cool, thanks!"

"I sure hope to be recompensed with a detailed account of what took place over there."

"Sure thing." Suddenly, Ayumi's voice was heard in Conan's background, reporting that his Osakan comrade had found something of interest. Seems Mouri-san had a big payday recently if he was willing to treat the kids as well. "Look, I gotta go now. Take good care of things over there, 'kay? And don't let that evil-eyed yawny girl get under your skin so much."

"Rest assured." The line went dead right after, but Subaru quickly found himself in the midst of Ai's incisive gaze. "Is something the matter?"

She didn't hesitate putting forward the theory that hatched up the moment she learned the other book was for Kudou-kun. "We didn't happen to meet by chance earlier, did we..."

"There is this axiom popular among us Sherlockians and crime fiction fanatics: nothing is random. But of course, we wouldn't have met up had you not played your part," he enlightened mirthfully, breaking out the brush and some black ink. Then he walked up to the counter and filled a small container with water. From this, Ai deduced he's going for an ink wash effect.

"Are you sure you can pull off what I think you're going to try?" she quizzed as if already objecting the risk.

"When you take up some lessons about Japanese art, you're bound to learn a thing or two about ink washing," he said, almost reassuringly if only he didn't follow it up with, "I just hope I've learned enough."

"Well, don't expect me to wish you any luck, but I sincerely hope you don't screw up," she grumbled back.

Cupping her cheeks, Ai watched on as Subaru painted the washi, pulled back to rate his work and then get back to it until it had fallen to a constant cycle that flowed from one hour into the next. She thought of trying to call him to over for dinner again at some point, but thought better of it after measuring the amount of concentration he's putting into her request and decided to start ahead, nibbling on a piece of meatball while enjoying his display, just like old times. Until now, she still couldn't believe she didn't recognize him sooner. Even if he had some acting training – among other things he claims to have learned, there were the little things that gave him away to someone who knew him well enough. His intent way with words when he's serious, the way he broods, the way he crosses his arms in thought... Even his height and body structure and how he favors his left hand when painting. All of it just fits the man who existed in the memories she tried to whitewash like an after image. "Wait... How come I'm remembering even those...?" she asked herself, wondering if she had paid too much attention to her own sister's former flame all along, so much that she had even kept record of all these frivolous details. Not like there was anyone else as... noteworthy as he was back then, especially one who tried to reach out to the abyss like he did. Still, she felt compelled to excoriate herself for having quite the receptive mind, and for recalling such stupid things yet again. If there was only a way to rip a mental profile to pieces like notes scribbled whimsically on the back of one's notebook, she would've done it long ago... "...I'm being foolish again..." But the scientist hadn't excoriated herself enough, not to mention have her fill of her own cooking when she was startled by Subaru's faint groan, his voice tailing off forebodingly.

"What?! What did you do?!" she cried out, hurrying towards the living room table.

"It seems I have erred a little," he said apologetically and ambiguously.

"And here I thought you knew what you were doing!" Ai cuts in front of Subaru to assess the damage. To her greater surprise, there wasn't any noticeable flaws in the work he had done so far. No, his work was quite flawless, no matter how many times she rolled her eyes across their canvas and no matter how close she examined it. He hadn't drawn much though by the time she went over it: just the sea and a couple of lumps that are supposed to be islands, but for someone who had consistently hinted at his amateurish artistic level, this strange man shaded the water well, miles better than the flop she expected of him, darkening the areas that should be darkened while leaving the spot where the sun will be looming later nearly spotless. Subaru definitely knew what he was doing, pressing his vision into service to make up for his lack of experience and skills. He could take it up as a profession if he wanted to. But Ai wasn't about to retract her previous statement just yet, not when he owned up to a mistake himself. "...You're not just being too obsessive, are you... In which case, you're a step closer to becoming this generation's Kisaragi-san." She looked at him in askance.

"No. I did make a mistake. Here." Subaru pointed out the flaw at last: a small line originating from one of the islands, drawn in a single stroke and about a quarter of an inch in length. "It's too straight, don't you think?"

"Now that you mentioned it, it does..." Ai sighed, taking relief in learning that there was no actual damage in the shade. Just Subaru over-reacting and being too much of a perfectionist. "Shading or drawing some curves over it should remedy it. But just for the record. What image made you lapse? I don't think you'd be able to draw a line this precise if you weren't thinking about something else in particular."

"Hmmm... The Statue of Liberty?" Subaru confessed modestly, shrugging.

"...Hmph... As if you can actually draw something that intricate." Secretly, Ai wondered if he wasn't actually joking. If the Statue of Liberty, in all its sentimental glory, was indeed the image that he felt represented her sister best. In which case, she would have to agree. After all, it was her sister who had inspired her with the idea of a life outside the shadows of the organization. An idea Akemi didn't know plausible until she rammed her car right into the most troublesome outsider both of them ever met... "I must say though," Ai turns around and, with arms crossed, locks eyes ardently with him. "For an amateur, you're not screwing things up horribly. Would you mind telling me who your art teacher is? Who knows... I might end up liking it if I took a few lessons..."

"If I told you, I'm gonna have to silence you," Subaru, no, Dai answered with a wicked smirk.

"And if I say I don't care, will you still tell me?" she dared back.

"….I'll have to think about it."

"Well, if you're just going to stall, might as well go over there and get your act together. I can't have you ruining the only paper we have for the shade any further," Apparently miffed, Ai circles around Subaru and pushes the much taller man towards the kitchen with all her strength. "...Dinner's been waiting for you for an hour, you know. You'll just have to microwave it if you prefer it warmer..."

Without any resistance from him, she got him to take a couple of steps to his right. "Are you sure? But you-"

"I never said anything about not knowing how to draw using a brush."

"...Of course... Very well. I suppose I shall indulge in what you've accomplished on your end." Giving in, Subaru walked over to the counter and occupied one of the stools, forgoing the reheating. He didn't start eating right away however, instead peering over his shoulder and at the young girl, who picked up exactly from where his hand supposedly slipped, applying the corrections she had suggested deducing from her arm's movements, and with much determination from the way she lingered on one line after another until she was pleased with it. "It's going exactly as planned," he smirks in thought. Of course, she'd probably catch on his trick sooner than later and wouldn't let him off unscathed, and he ought to make his excuse before then.

Suddenly, as if portending his imminent fate, Haibara rolled her eyes irately at him, chasing his gaze away as if it was distracting her. "What? You don't like the food? Or are you thinking of le-"

"No, nothing of the sort, I assure you. Just a bit lost in thought again," he said, putting his hands in the air.

"Well, hurry up and fill your belly then. You've probably been skipping meals lately, which is why you're spacing out."

"Heh... She really takes after your stubbornness in her own way..." Confident that the young woman won't be needing any "adult supervision" anytime soon, he looked away and uttered his graces.

Subaru ended up eating as much as Ai did, or as little for that matter, and returned to her side after putting a plastic wrap over the meal, both of them too eager to work on the project to work up any appetite. If Professor Agasa gets home in time, he might be in luck. He didn't forget to compliment her of her cooking, but instead of feeling flattered she happily told him, "don't flirt with me until I'm twenty or I'll cut you tongue" before giving him back the painting reins. While he was having his morsel, she had managed to mask the suspiciously straight line with a cluster of palm trees, making clever use of perspectives and angles to ensure noone but the two of them will ever see the slip-up again. The trees themselves are very simple, easy enough for him to detail and reproduce with ease. From there they developed a game plan that sped things up: Subaru did all the painting and shading while Ai looked out for any missed spots, weird curves and for areas that needed the extra detail. Sometime before nine-twenty, they had finally completed the island horizon theme they had agreed upon, but pretty soon Ai was confounded with one little problem.

She didn't know what family name or crest to put on the space they had provided for it.

"I should've thought about it sooner," the former chemist lamented, sinking her head into her palms in vexation. "Miyano" was definitely out of the question, while names like "Haibara" or "Hirota" didn't convey the message sincerely enough. This was a collaboration of pure intentions between two people who have no choice but to live lies, and resorting to false names like those would put a halfhearted end to all their efforts. She thought about alternate ways to write the names, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that anything she'd come up with would be too suggestive.

So Subaru decided to improvise a little...

Finding the absence of a response from the supposed grad student odd, Ai looked up at Subaru and realized he was already adding the final strokes into the characters he had branded the shade with.

"Mirai...?" she read the character slowly, hesitantly.

"A very common character, I know... But I'm sure your sister would be drawn to it," he explained, his voice exuding sorrow and optimism, emotions she never thought she'd get from a man who was once more distant than the old her. "I'm sure that this was her wish for you when she drew her last breath. This is probably what she wishes for you even now..."

And in that instant, visions of her sister's struggles leading up to her ultimate sacrifice flashed before her, not in the order of a reel but simultaneously, like lanterns floating in the river during the Toro Nagashi. A strong urge to weep swelled up within her, but then she caught glimpse of every vision and realized that her sister never frowned in any of them. Akemi may have suppressed her anguish behind her radiant smiles, just as she had her ulterior motives that, as much as it pains Shiho to admit, she was entitled to anyway... But maybe it wasn't just because she didn't want her younger sister to fret over her, but because she too didn't want the darkness to overcome her own being. Maybe that billion-dollar robbery wasn't just about freeing them for the older Miyano, but also a test to see if her resolve could accomplish anything, otherwise she wouldn't have put her life at stake just to make a qualifying offer for the deal the Devil's pets offered. It wasn't Dai's fault for not being there; she could've reached out to him if she really wanted to, and if he was really the man Shiho once believed and admired he would've come right away, but she didn't. And ultimately, Akemi still succeeded.

It will forever be Shiho's regret that she couldn't support her sister during those trying times and instead hinged her, but perhaps there are things she could do for her now. Not just living for her sake like everyone advises her to do or letting bygones be bygones...

"A future, huh...," Ai repeated, this time more certain of what it signified. This was indeed the most fitting character for the person they're commemorating. It was even part of her name, and yet the younger one missed it, too wary of such treacherous word that she had overlooked it on reflex.

"Yes. You're still very young so I presumed it would be something anyone would want for you." Subaru sighs meaningfully. "For us adults thought, all we can really focus on is the pre-"

"It's her wish for you too, silly... That person you said you cared a lot about, I mean... So don't say things that would make the spirits watching over you sad. You said it yourself earlier, didn't you? And besides, being an adult doesn't have anything to do with looking forward to a future..."

The agent-in-disguise fell silent after that, his face bereft of obvious emotion, but the person he was tasked to protect had known him long enough to know that he's beginning to see the same mental image she had. That he's beginning to remember as well...

"...Anyway, the kanji was a nice touch. Never thought you'd be good in writing one as well," she commended him after a while in an effort to deviate from the melancholy.

"Ah, but like I've said, this one's very commonplace," humbly said Subaru, prompted to get back to his character's usual behavior. "Even if I wasn't here, you could probably write it yourself."

"I could, but it wouldn't be as good as yours."

"That comes with experience and refinement."

Ai smiled. "Well, I guess that's another thing I can look forward to." From the corner of her eye, she caught him return the gesture, and for half a minute they reveled in the heartening effect of the exchange. "So what are we gonna do now?" she asked thereafter.

"Other than waiting for the paint to settle completely, not much," he replied while going over the shade one more time. "We should refrain from assembling it until then. In the meantime, you can pursue your regular routines if you wish."

"I was just thinking of doing that, but if you have better ideas, let's hear it."

"Hmmm... I received some DVDs a few days ago. If you're interested, we could watch..."

"Received...?"

"Yes, from Ueto-san, a friend of the Kudous' I believe. She said its a token of gratitude for the family, so she opted to deliver it personally."

"Wait... Don't tell me you're talking about the Aya Ueto who made her starring debut playing the title role in one of Kudou-sensei's earlier works."

"I must say, she is as lovely in person as she is on the screen. I take it you are aware that the family knew her?"

"Not really, but Professor Agasa told me about her when we were watching a rerun of Yuki's Casebook a while back. Apparently, he saw Ueto-san and her manager waiting at their front gate about four years ago, fresh off her official introduction as Yuki," Ai explained. "But are you sure that's really her? You don't thi-"

"Absolutely," Subaru assures her. "I did call Yukiko-san for a confirmation and she led me to a photo they took with Ueto-san tucked in one Yuki's Casebook volume. In addition, Ueto-san enthralled me about a small incident only the people in charge of maintaining the house before me would know. You could ask them about it if you're curious."

"That sounds comforting enough," she nodded, telling her pessimistic bone to stop twinging as it pleased. "Anyway, would I be correct in assuming that the DVDs are a compilation of her dramas and films? If so, then I'd love to watch her other mystery drama 'Absolute Zero'. I only got to watch one episode before but I loved it. Also, I believe watching something like it would be a unique way to commemorate the dead, especially those who are still yearning for justice to this day."

"I would have to agree with you on that," he nodded.

"But don't forget to bring over the picture and anything else you might have had her sign. I'd like to see evidence that you and the professor aren't just pulling my leg about seeing an actress as famous as her."

"Well, she gave me a couple of surplus photos taken from a shoot she did the day before her visit and signed them. In any case, I should go get them now."

The deserters continued dinner while watching the drama Ai requested, filling the remaining space on the table with the dishes and glasses. After the first episode, the chemist cleared it away while the agent assembled the lantern. Waiting for the glue to dry, they watched another episode, only to pause halfway so Subaru could take a call from Professor Agasa, who informed them that he was having dinner at an izakaya with the volunteers before heading home and asked Subaru to stay at least until he arrived. As always, his ward told him to lay off on anything alcoholic or full of cholesterol. Once they were done with the second episode, they turned their attention back to the now-finished project. The lantern came out as nicely as they had envisioned it earlier: a translucent white box with a bamboo frame, details in each panel hand-painted with all the attention and skill they could pour into it, a hollow bottom allowing it to be placed around a tea light for the Toro Nagashi, and a beam on the topside to thread the cord on. After verifying its sturdiness and that everything was dry, they finally brought the lantern outside, plugging it on an available socket left of the front door.

"What do you think?" he asked after turning on the appropriate switch.

"Not bad. Not bad at all for amateurs like us. I'm sure my sister would say the same," Ai responded, her eyes fixed at the warm glow of their craftwork. Her participation had been minimal compared to Subaru's, but she felt satisfied with it anyway. Only then did the idea that Subaru drew the line on purpose to get her to join in occurred to her, but she didn't take it as bitterly as he thought she would, having a clue as to what his reason might be. She definitely would've regretted it if she didn't put a hand at it at least once and allowed him finish everything by himself. As for whether she'll try to get back at him for luring her, she decided to put off the decision for later. "How about you? What do you think?"

"I'm just relieved it came out smoothly since I've never done this sort of handiwork before. In that regard though, I find it most regretful that we're going to have to let it float on the river come the Toro Nagashi."

"...We could take a picture of it now, you know."

"Are you sure? I understand that you have... issues with having photos and videos taken. And quite frankly, I share your sentiments about it."

"We'll be fine if we use an instant camera and we're both out of sight."

The Sherlockian chuckled ruefully. "You're right. Why didn't I think of it sooner? Anyhow, where does the professor keep his old cameras?"

"It should be on the shelf where he keeps inventions he made in his younger years."

Watching as Subaru went back in to fetch the camera, Ai called to mind the aftermath of her sister's trip to Kyoto...

_"A card... You got me a card as a souvenir."_

_"Oh, come on! Just open it. I'm sure you'll love it!"_

_"….A photo? An instant one even…This is the Gozan no Okuribi, isn't it?"_

_"Mmhmm. Next best thing to seeing it in person would be to have a one-of-a-kind photo of it, don't you think?"_

_"...I suppose..."_

_"Hmm? Is something wrong? Don't you like it?"_

_"No! That's not it... I'm just... I'm just thankful, Nee-san... For the photo... And for having a sister as creative as you."_

That present may be long gone now, suffering the fate its subject had predicted, but seeing and holding the photo had given Ai a fond memory that could never be matched even if she gets an opportunity to finally lay eyes on the actual thing in the future. As for the lantern, she would have to agree that it would be a waste to just let go of it when they finally send her sister's spirit home and have someone burn with the rest of the decorations once the festival's officially over in their region. After all, it wasn't just a beacon to call upon a spirit, but also a pact she made with a man she had once despised with all her soul, signifying forgiveness and letting go of one excruciating burden that would hopefully pave the way for the rest. But at least they'll have something to remember it by in case one of them forgets.

Nobody knows what's going to happen to her and Dai in the future... Whether this respite between them will last only until the three days of _Obon_, or it will persist until he finally decides to tell her everything... Whatever it is, no matter how grim or favorable, at least she could take comfort in the idea that like the scenery during the _Toro Nagashi_, between the cool night sky and the ever-flowing river that reflects its mystifying and at times ominous splendor, there will be a single light guiding them both in their voyage.

_"One day, when we're finally able to avenge my sister and have that serious talk... Maybe I could consider taking care of you too, at least on behalf of my sister... Maybe...,"_ she thought, following him inside with a small, but pleasant smile etched on her lips.

* * *

><p>The End.<p>

written by akaisherry47


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